Dutch journalist Okke Ornstein was detained and arrested upon arriving at Panama’s Tocumen International Airport on 15 November. He is facing a 20-month sentence for libel and slander in relation to articles he posted on his blog.

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A legislative initiative to amend the Intelligence and Security Act caused alarm within the journalistic community, with critics noting that the proposed expansion of the intelligence services’ ability to gather communications data could threaten the protection of journalistic sources.

In December, the House of Representatives began discussing a new bill, part of the government’s antiterrorism initiatives, that would significantly expand the surveillance capabilities and powers of security services.

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